In recognition of Armenia Tree Project’s successful record in tree planting, environmental education, and sustainable development, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has awarded a $1.2 million grant to ATP. The funding will help to underwrite a portion of ATP’s core programs through 2014.

“One of the primary objectives of our partnership with the Norwegian government is to mitigate the impacts of climate change,” says SEEDS Program Manager Vardan Melikyan, “and we plan to do this through raising awareness about conservation issues, planting trees to promote sustainable development in Armenia, and fostering a sense of personal commitment about the importance of environmental stewardship.”

ATP launched an exciting new program in 2011 known as SEEDS, or “Social, Economic, and Environmental Development for Sustainability.” It has allowed ATP to build capacity in its reforestation programs while improving results through new methods of program delivery. These include a greater emphasis on community development and investing in social capital in the areas where ATP is planting trees.

The Norway funding will provide partial support for some of ATP’s core programs including tree planting initiatives in towns and villages throughout Armenia, an expansion of reforestation programs in northern Armenia, maintenance of recently planted forests, environmental education programs that train teachers and inspire youth, and community trainings for sustainable forest management.

In 2011, ATP’s SEEDS Program planted 186,785 tree seedlings on community lands in Fioletovo, Jrashen, Katnajur, Spitak, and Tsakhkaber in the Lori region. The SEEDS team also maintained previously planted sites to improve survival rates by clearing grass around thousands of seedlings that survived their first growing season.

“ATP plans to establish new forests in partnership with the communities of Saratovka and Sverdlov, which have already provided nearly 80 hectares of land for tree planting. ATP has been working with local partners to create small community forests. Towns and villages that are located far from forested areas are given special attention in this program, since they are desperately in need of green spaces,” says Forestry Manager Ani Haykuni.

The seedlings for ATP’s reforestation programs are grown in the Mirak Family Nursery in Margahovit Village and in backyard nurseries in the Getik River Valley. These newly planted forests are established with oak, pine, ash, apple, and pear seedlings which are native to the region.

“ATP’s SEEDS Program also addresses community development and socio-economic issues in order to mitigate some of the root causes of deforestation and unsustainable land use. This includes providing jobs for hundreds of workers in the Lori region for seasonal tree planting, and partnering with other organizations who can bring their development expertise to communities where we are working,” concludes Vardan Melikyan. “These jobs mean people can work in their communities and don’t have to emigrate to Russia to earn a living.”